


Danganronpa: Magical Murder Spell

by DanganronpaMMS



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Dangan Ronpa OC, Danganronpa AU, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Original Characters - Freeform, Original killing game, Other, dangan Ronpa new killing game, danganronpa - Freeform, danganronpa ocs, killing game, new killing game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-08-24 03:19:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16631909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanganronpaMMS/pseuds/DanganronpaMMS
Summary: An original killing game. Misty awakens inside a medieval village with barely any memories. A stuffed cat appears and forces Misty and 15 others into a game of murder and betrayal, dungeons and death.





	1. Prologue: I am Misty Magdalene

Have you ever spent the night at a friend’s house, and woken up that morning with no sense of where or who you are? For a few groggy seconds it feels like you’ve suddenly become an entirely different person, and you stumble to figure out your sense of self. Usually in those situations, you’ll get a grasp on your consciousness within a few seconds, maybe a minute or so if it had been a really satisfying sleep. You’ll remember within moments that you had fallen asleep in your best friend’s bed, and your parents will be on their way to take you back to your familiar and comforting home soon.

Except this time was different. This was no slumber party.

I awoke to the feeling of my head pounding against my skull as if my brain was trying to escape. The wind lightly scraping against my skin, and the feel of freezing cold stone as my bed.

Where the hell am I?

No, a better question: WHO the hell am I ?

I sat staring at the overgrown grass for what seemed like hours on end, searching my head for answers to a question that nobody should ever have to ask themselves.

Okay think: maybe I have some identification on me?

I began feeling all over my long pink skirt for pockets, but no luck. I looked down at my body, still stuck the the floor, and scanned my body for any clues to my identity.

Ah, of course! My vest!

I reached into the breast pocket of my dark green vest and yanked out what felt like a square of construction paper.

Bingo.

I held the card tightly in my trembling hands, and began to read it. My eyes were glued to the card as if it held my entire life on it’s crudely ripped edges. In a strange way, it kind of did.

Misty Magdalene

Ultimate Witch

Age 18

“Misty………Magdalene?”

I couldn’t help but say those words out loud. They sounded so….right. So familiar and comforting. I must have repeated that name at least a dozen more times.

“Misty Magdalene. Misty Magdalene. Misty Magdalene. Misty Magd-

Ah!”

Suddenly, memories of my identity came rushing back to my brain. I could almost feel the new information slapping me square in the face, as if to punish me for forgetting it. It was kind of like that feeling when you’ve had a song stuck In your head for the past few weeks and without any warning, without anything to trigger it, you suddenly remember the name of the song at 2 o’clock in the morning lying in bed.

I am Misty Magdalene, I’m 18, and I’m a witch.

Now, I get what you’re thinking. Witches are old raggedy hags with big noses and warts, who stand around a cauldron and cast spells on unsuspecting passerby’s and ride on broomsticks with their black cats in tow. You have every Halloween movie ever to thank for that mindset. I mean, I’m no Phoebe Halliwell, but I’m no Winnifred Sanderson either, so at least that’s something.

I decided to search my brain for more information about myself.

“Let’s see… I like the color pink, I’m good at math, I collect crystals, and my parents are…..”

Huh? Why can’t I remember anything about my family?

“Um, my friends are….”

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“I grew up in…”

What the hell? Why can’t I remember specifics about my past. I mean, I clearly remember who I am and what I do, so why is my background completely evading me? No matter how hard I try to remember, my mind pulls a big fat blank.

I sat on the ground in complete silence for a few more minutes, fiddling with my braids, hoping that if I wait long enough, I’ll encounter a second gust of memories.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t work.

With no other option and no other memories, I picked myself up from the ground and took a look at my surroundings.

It’s definitely some kind of forest. Towering trees as far as the eye can see and certainly no shortage of greenery. I took in the unmistakable scent of wood and fresh morning dew. I have to admit, even though this location is unknown to me, it’s beautiful. I’m a bit of a sucker for nature.

One glance at the ground told me that I am not the first person to traverse these woods. Right next to the grass that I had awoke in was man made dirt path leading further into the unknown.

“Welp, here goes nothing.”

With a big breath, I began following the path into an uncertain future. Every step I took weighed heavy on my mind. What if I end up even deeper into the forest? What if I end up somewhere dangerous? What if I’m not alone? My thoughts were cut short by a faint light in the distance. If these woods have an end, I’m betting it’s there. The clearing became larger and larger with every foot step, and soon I was stepping on a sturdy cobblestone path as opposed to the lush soil that had been under my feet a moment ago.

Upon exiting the clearing, it was as if a whole new world opened up. It was as if I was Dorothy entering Oz for the first time, and my black and white reality became an infinite paradise of vivid colors.

I examined this new world with childlike curiosity. The first thing that immediately caught my eye were the walls. Giant concrete walls could be seen from every direction. They stretched up so high that the blue sky was very nearly obscured, and the sun barely peeked over them. This place is like one huge prison almost.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. It was terrifying to consider, but……

With my heart full of sickly fear and dread, I turned around in the direction I had come and cleaned my neck to look above the trees of the forest.

Sure enough, the walls could be seen above the trees. Wherever I was, wherever I had ended up, I was completely trapped. Maybe this really is one big prison.

Focus, Misty, focus! I can’t freak out just yet. Maybe it’s one big prank or maybe I’m dreaming or…. I don’t know, but I’ve got to find out!

I decided to walk further into the giant cage I was trapped in. I hadn’t noticed it before but there was another magnificent structure in the background. I can just make out the outline of it. It looks like…. a castle?

Yep, there’s no mistake. It’s definitely a castle.

So, an enclosed area, a castle, and a slightly amnesiac witch to top it all off. This is sounding more like a young adult novel than my life. But hey, a castle means there must be other people inside. Maybe I can get some answers there. It looks pretty far off, but it’s not like I’ve got any other choice.

With a complex mix of anxiety, dread, fear, and curiosity, I made my way forward into what appears to be a big open area with…….people??? There are other people here! I can definitely see other people and hear them speak! I’m saved! I ran as fast as my legs could carry me down the cobblestone path and towards the moving silhouettes in the distance.

By the time I arrived, I was completely out of breath. I slumped over and put my hands on my knees and heaved in and out, attempting to regulate my breathing once more. I could tell the group of people were staring at me like I was a freak. Great, what a fantastic first impression.

“There’s another one! So that makes sixteen of us now, right?

I heard an energetic voice ask.

I looked up at all fifteen other people staring right at me. The girl who just spoke made her way to the front of the crowd and stood in front of me.

“Hey, pull yourself together! Do you know what this place is?”

Still trying to catch my breath, I shook my head no.

The small girl signed. “Ah crap, she’s not going to be any help to us then.”

Um, excuse her?

A tall, regal looking man spoke up this time. “Well, since we’re all here, perhaps we should explore our new surroundings.”

I finally found my voice. “We’re all here? How do you know?”

The man spoke again. “I had awoken next to an old fashioned hotel of sorts. I managed to count the number of rooms while I was there. Sixteen.”

My stomach dropped, and I felt a lump in my throat. Clearly I wasn’t the only one, because a red haired woman spoke up next.

“A hotel? I don’t plan on stayin’ here hun.”

Her southern inflection only made the words slightly less horrifying. There are hotel rooms for us?

Why? What possible reason could they have for making us stay here.

A talk, curvy woman made her way to the front and addressed us all. “Before we start thinking about spending the night in this place, perhaps we should split up and survey the area. We should go in groups of 2. That way we cover more ground, while ensuring an accurate search.”

She spoke in a way that was confident and made you want to listen to what she had to say. A woman in steampunk garb raised her hand.

“Um, what exactly about that strategy makes it more accurate than going by ourselves?”

The tall, confident woman scoffed and shook her head. “Because if one of us slacks, the other can keep them in line. I expect you all to do the same.”

Yikes, remind me not to partner with her.

At that declaration, the group began to migrate around in search of their partners. The steampunk woman chose the tiny energetic girl immediately. A young bubbly girl in a pink frilly dress grabbed the arm of a meek boy in a surgical mask and dragged him away. The regal man from earlier walked away with a shaved head man in a sports hoodie. An older woman in a bridal gown chose a blue haired man with a cape and sword. A beautiful, petite woman in a sailor dress partnered with the southern redhead. Lastly, a boy with green hair and strange, pointed ears left with a tall man with black and red hair who was dressed as a ringleader of some kind.

There were only four of us left, and it looks like my pickings were slim. I could go with the bossy, confident woman, but honestly she looks like she’d be a pain in the ass to deal with. Looks like I acted too slow for that anyway, as she was approached by a massive, hulking mountain of a man. I suppose if anyone is equipped to deal with her, it’d be him.

That left me with only one other person. A boy who looked to be about my age. I looked him up and down, taking in his long black trench coat, and his skull necklace. Perhaps the most eye catching thing about him though, were his piercing green eyes that peaked out through wefts of unruly black hair. They were actually quite beautiful.

The boy stood there with his arms crossed, facing the other direction as if he couldn’t be bothered by me. I decided to make the first move as to cut the tension between us.

“Hi, my name is Misty.”

He paused for a second before answering.

“What’s your ultimate?” He asked in a genuinely curious voice.

“My….. oh, you mean what my card says?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m the ultimate witch!”

The boy looked at me, his emerald eyes growing larger with surprise.

“Witch? So you know spells and stuff?”

“I…..”

I paused. Do I know spells? Of course I must, I’m a witch. I know that much for sure. I wracked my brain trying to think of a single spell just to rove myself, but nothing. Absolutely jack.

“I… can’t remember.”

Afraid of his reaction, I looked down at my feet.

“Oh. Yeah, that seems to be the trend here.”

He let out a small laugh as if to make me feel better. I looked up at him, not expecting his response.

“Wait, so the others can’t remember much either?”

“It seems to be the same thing with all of us. We woke up, figured out who we are, but can’t remember specifics about our pasts or how we got here.”

In a strange sort of way, hearing that made me feel a lot better. I’m not alone! That’s something at least. For the first time since arriving her, I smiled.

“Well, we’ll just have to figure everything out together then! How about you? What’s your name and ultimate.”

The boy looked a bit uncomfortable with that question.

“Xephyr. Ultimate spirit medium.”

Spirit medium? As in, talks to dead people? And here I though me being a witch was too strange. I wasn’t sure if I should probe him for more details. He seems to be uncomfortable with his own ultimate, so I decide to just drop it.

“Oh cool! So, shall we go?”

He nodded. “It looks like there’s several branching paths, but only two of them are unblocked.”

“Huh? Unblocked?”

Xephyr gestured towards the 4 branching pathways. As he said, two of the pathways, the one leading north and the one leading east, were gated off. We could attempt to climb the gates later, but right now it would probably be best to just explore the open pathways. We decided to try the one leading south-west first.


	2. Prologue Part 2: Meet the Contestants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misty meets her fellow peers and explores more of the strange town.

After passing through the moss ridden gate, we were met with what appeared to be a large wooden multi-storied building. Like the gate, moss grew up the sides as if the building had been abandoned and left to the mercy of nature for several decades.

A wooden sign hung precariously from the entrance by a thread. The words carved into the sign read “Inn”.

This must be that old fashioned hotel that the regal looking man was talking about.

“Sebastian really wasn’t kidding when he said it was old fashioned.” Xephyr piped up, scratching his head. “I was thinking he meant like, 1950’s old fashioned, not 1650.”

Suddenly, our ears were met with a familiar heavily accented voice. “Actually hun, this style of Inn woulda’ been more common in 1450’s England.” The red headed woman had walk up to us from behind. She gazed at the Inn as if analyzing all of it’s nooks and crannies. “Ain’t it odd though? Findin’ this style of Inn in this day and age and country?”

“I was just thinking the same thing. Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Misty! I’m the ultimate witch.” I said with much more confidence than when I had introduced myself to Xephyr.

The woman stared at me for a bit, as if she needed time to digest this new information. “Ultimate witch huh?” She said, sounding utterly puzzled.

I nodded my head.

The woman smiled at me. There was so much warmth and comfort in her smile that it made me feel instantly at ease. She grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously. “Well nice to meetcha’, Misty the ultimate witch! I’m Dollie, the ultimate historian.”

Ah, that explains how she would know about the Inn.

“And you’re Xephyr, yeah? We met back at the square.” She continued. Xephyr nodded his head.

“The square?” I asked.

“Y’know, that big ol’ area where we all met up. It’s kinda like a town square, so figured that’s what I’d call it.”

“Oh, in that case I’ll start calling it that too!” I replied cheerfully. Dollie’s smile grew larger for a single second, but the warm smile turned to an expression of concern within an instant.

“Did ya’ll see the kid with the surgical mask? I just feel so bad for him. I asked him where his folks are, and he said he ain’t even able to remember them. I bet his momma’s worried.”

Xephyr spoke next, his voice full of worry. “I hadn’t even thought of that. Our families must be wondering where we are, right?”

Dollie grinned once more with all of the warmth of a proud parent. “I’m sure they are, hon. If ya need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me now, ya hear?” With that last statement, Dollie walked back to the uh……”town square”.

Xephyr and I decided to head inside the Inn. When we opened the heavy wooden doors and walked inside, we witnessed something we never could have imagined viewing in a million years.

I mean, it’s not everyday you see a woman in a sailor style dress elbow deep in a fish tank.

The woman had her back turned on us and was furiously dunking her arms in and out of a body sized fish tank.

Is she…attempting to grab the fishes inside?

I decided to bite the bullet and ask her myself.

“Excuse me?”

She must not have heard.

“EXCUSE ME?” I asked, this time tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

The woman jumped back at my touch, very nearly knocking the entire fish tank over. With not a moment to spare, she picked herself back up as if the entire last 10 seconds never happened.

“Yes?” She finally chimed in with an innocent smile.

“I was just wondering what you were just doing with the fish tank.” I replied.

The woman clasped her hands together daintily. “Oh! Hallie was just setting the poor fishies free!”

……what.

Xephyr and I exchanged a look of mutual disbelief. Xephyr was the one who found the next words to say.

“So… you were trying to free the fish…from the fish tank?”

“Exactly!” The woman answered in a strangely proud and excited tone. “All of god’s creatures deserve to live happily and free, especially all the creatures of the water!”

Again, Xephyr and I exchanged the quizzical look once more.

“So, um,” he started, “you do realize that once you set them free, they’ll die right?”

The woman’s normally spaced out and happy expression turned to one of frustration with Xephyr’s words.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “DUH, Hallie knows that! There’s a pond outside. Hallie is releasing them in their native habitat. That’s Hallie’s job as the ultimate marine biologist!”

Speaking in the third person and a lack of common sense aside, I have to admit she really is beautiful. With long, flowing sapphire hair and blue eyes to match. I feel like she might get away with a lot because of those looks.

Xephyr began speaking to her again. “It’s just…. those fish in the tank are salt water fish. The pond is freshwater. They won’t survive long in there.”

Hallie rolled her eyes so high at him that I thought they might pop right out of her skull.

“Well then at least they’ll die free!”

There was not going to be any reasoning with her. I pulled on Xephyr’s shoulder as a sign that we should just leave. He began to protest, but decided to just drop it and head upstairs.

Upon walking up the stairs to the second floor, we were met with a concerning sight. Four rooms in a row, and on each door, a name plate was attached. We slowly walked down the hallway reading each name plate as we past by the doors.

Misty

Lana

Damon

Phineas

‘Huh? Is this room mine?’ As Xephyr continued walking upstairs to survey the other rooms, I stayed behind and pulled on the doorknob of the door with my nameplate on it.

*CA-CHINK CA-CHINK*

Damn, it’s locked.

Just in case, I attempted to open all of the other doors as well, but they’re all the locked as well. Xephyr came marching down the stairs once more.

“So it looks like there’s four floors of rooms, and four rooms on each floor.” He said, catching his breath. “There’s a room for all sixteen of us.”

I felt my stomach sink again. “So, they really do want us to stay here.”

“It looks like it”. Answered Xephyr, with fear in his eyes.

I didn’t want to worry him. As strange as it sounds, I wanted to cheer him up and see those green eyes light up again.

“Well it’s still too soon to worry. We still haven’t checked everything, right?” I stated in my best calming tone.

Xephyr looked at me and smiled slightly. “You’re right, let’s keep going.”

With nothing else to explore in the Inn area, we made our way black to the square to try the path branching to the west. I wasn’t really sure if I should attempt small talk on the way or not. Would it be too weird? Would he think I was too weird? What exactly are you supposed to do in a situation like this?

Once we got back to the square and entered the western gate, I mustered my courage and asked the first question that popped into my head.

“So what’s your favorite animal?”

Oh god, I’m an idiot.

Xephyr looked up at the sky. “Um……I don’t know.”

Shit, I made him feel awkward.I have to save this situation somehow. What do I say?

“I like cats”.

Great, now he’s going to think I’m a crazy cat lady.

Xephyr looked at me square in the eyes and stated, “Cats are cool. Did you know if you died and left your cat without food, it would eat your corpse?”

….

I was silent. I searched for the words to reply to him with but all that came out was:

“Sick.”

We walked side by side in complete silence after that conversation.

After a few minutes of walking down the beige and red cobblestone path, we entered what looks to be a medieval village of some sort. A marketplace lined the area with several unattended stands of food, a couple more distinctly dated buildings could be seen in the distance, and father away was the unmistakable silhouette of a church. We headed to the marketplace to search for clues as to where we are, and how we can escape.

The marketplace wasn’t all that big, but what it lacked in size it made up for in color. The tents that shielded the food were as gaudy as a circus clown, with some rainbow striped, some intricately designed with red and blue, and some just solid colored, but all of them bright.

I walked up to the first stand and picked up a pear. I inspected the fruit carefully, and to my great surprise, not a single bruise or scrape. It was absolutely perfect.

“A fan of pears?” Xephyr snapped me out of my trance. Great. Now I’m a crazy cat lady who’s obsessed with fruit.

“Just look at it. Wouldn’t you expect it to be somewhat bruised? At least a little?”

“Uh, I guess?”

I continued. “It’s not just this one. All of these are in perfect condition.”

“It’s strange isn’t it?” An familiar sounding voice echoed from behind.

“All of these wares are practically untouched.”

It was the regal looking man from earlier. I hadn’t had a good opportunity to look at him for very long before, but I now gazed upon his lanky frame and silver hair that matched his grey eyes behind his glasses. He carries himself in a way that sort of reminded me of a fairytale prince.

“Oh, hello! I don’t think we’ve met. My name is Misty.” I outstretched my hand for him to shake.

“Charmed.” He replied, and I instantly felt condescended to. The man began walking away from me and towards a stand farther away, completely ignoring my still extended hand.

I felt anger begin to bubble up in my core. Who the hell does this glimmerous fop think he is?

“And you are?” I asked in my most passive aggressive tone, stoping him in his tracks.

The man turned around and smiled. “Oh, my apologies. I had assumed you already knew who I am. Sebastian St. Claire, ultimate violinist.”

Xephyr scratched at his head once again. “Is it really okay for you to give out your last name in this kind situation?”

“Perhaps it’s not for you, but I am already world renowned, you see. My last name is public knowledge.”

“Wait a minute”, I exclaimed, “so you remember being famous? You have all your memories?”

Sebastian’s cocky smile faded. “Not exactly, but with my skills, how could I not be famous?”

I’m officially sick of this guy.

“Anyway,” he continued, “I don’t believe my style of music is suitable for your um,” he paused looking me up and down, “sensibilities.”

Okay, now he was just mocking me. I think Xephyr could sense my fear, because he put a hand on my shoulder and began leading me away. “Well, it was nice officially meeting you, take care!” Exclaimed Xephyr, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

I decided to drop the subject for now. Not for Sebastian, but for Xephyr.

Further down the row of food stands, we could see a man with shaved brown hair and a sports team hoodie (some college team I had never heard of, the Mill Creek Macaws). I have to admit, I was nervous about speaking to him. With his built stature, haircut, and the bandage on his left cheek, he resembled everyone’s idea of a one-dimensional bully.

I approached him with caution as he rifled through he food stand he stood in front of. I don’t think he’s seen me yet.

“Hi.” I said, and the man instantly turned to face me.

“Oh hey there.” He started. “You’re the girl from earlier, the last one to the party right?”

Yikes, here it comes.

To my surprise, the man stretched out his arm and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Hey, no big deal, we’ve all been late to the party before. I’m Brom, ultimate football star!”

Football star huh? I probably could’ve figured that. “I’m Misty, the ultimate witch.” I said cautiously, extending my hand.

Brom then showed a great big grin on his face and took my hand. Instead of shaking it however, he quickly pulled my body forward into a hug. I was not prepared for the impromptu hug, and my body slammed into his, with the force of a slap to the face.

Ow.

Brom held me in his embrace for a couple seconds, finally letting me out of his iron grip. As soon as I was released, he turned to Xephyr and made his way forward, preparing to trap Xephyr in his vice grip as well.

Xephyr could clearly tell where this was going, putting his hands up in surrender. “Er, we’ve already me-“, but before he could finish his sentence, Brom pulled him in. “Hey, you two don’t be strangers!” Said Brom, still holding Xephyr tightly.

After letting go a few seconds later, Brom made his way to the next stand.

Wow, I was completely wrong about him.

 

He’s maybe a little TOO friendly.

Xephyr and I decided we’d seen enough of the market and the two men within it. The next building to explore was a cylindrical structure made out of reddish-brown stone. It was not the widest building in sight, but was definitely the tallest by far. The building was covered in evenly spaced elongated windows, and a golden statue of a lion sat perched outside, guarding the building from intruders.

What awaiting us upon entering was slightly disconcerting to say the least.

Weapons.

All kinds of weapons, from maces to axes to swords hanging on the wall, waiting for some to pluck it off them off the wall and use them in combat. Clearly this was some sort of armory, which fit the medieval feel of this town to a T.

I turned to my side to express my thoughts to Xephyr, only to realize he was no longer there.

I heard a gasp coming from the other side of the room. Xephyr had run full speed towards an equally towering and threatening metal structure in the back.

“Misty, do you realize what this is??” Asked Xephyr, gesturing to the structure with all the excitement of a young child on Christmas morning. This is definitely the biggest smile I’ve seen on him since meeting.

“Uh, scary?”

“This is a 100% authentic Iron Maiden! I never thought I’d actually see one in person, and she’s in pristine shape.” Xephyr reaches out to touch one of the spikes that decorated the inside of the Iron Maiden.

“HEY!” A deep, intense voice sounded from across the room. I turned to see a furious, mountainous man barreling towards us. I thought Brom was big, but he’s got nothing on this guy.

The man spoke again. “Don’t touch that! Do you want to die? Because that’s how you die, kid!”

Xephyr immediately revoked his hand from the spike. “I mean, eventually, but not today.”

Now that the man was standing in front of us I could see his full height. He must be easily over six foot five. The man had a single small braid hanging from the side of his head, his messy brown hair crudely tucked under a red band across the top of his head.

He spoke again, this time in a much less intense voice. “These weapons are the real deal.” The man turned to the wall where a large, battle axe hung. “This baby could only have been made thousands of years ago. You don’t find materials like this nowadays. The weight, the design, everything is authentic.” He frowned. “The fact that these are all in perfect condition is incredible.”

I decided to interject, hoping to break some of the tension. “You seem to be familiar with weapons.”

“Well I am the ultimate weapons expert for a reason. Name’s Damon. Nice to meet you.”

I debated on extending my hand, but decided against it, and instead stated, “My name is Misty, and I’m the ultimate witch. Nice to meet you too.”

Damon gave me the same quizzical look that I’ve been seeing all day. “Ultimate witch huh? Then you must feel right at home in a town like this.”

That statement did not sit well with me at all. Before I had the chance to protest, the confident woman who took charge earlier walked up and joined in on the conversation.

I immediately felt intimidated by her presence, and she hasn’t even said a word to us yet. She wore only black and white, her clothing tight and showing off her curves. I only now noticed the earpiece she wore in her left ear that extended to her mouth.

Who the hell could she be talking to through that thing?

“It’s interesting isn’t it? Our abductors leaving us with an entire arsenal at our disposal? She questioned, surveying the area.

Damon crossed his arms. “So you think we were abducted, yeah?”

The woman smiled at him. “Of course. I am fully trained in a plethora of situations as the ultimate special agent.”

I guess a situation like this is just another day for this woman. That fact alone gives me some sense of relief, at least.

Before I could ask her for her name, she continued. “I’m Bex, by the way.”

I eventually found my voice. “Bex? Is that your real name?”

Oops. That probably wasn’t the best thing to say to the ultimate special agent.

“No. But if I told you my real name, I’d have to kill you.”

Gulp.

An overtly awkward silence followed Bex’s proclamation. It must have only lasted 10 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. The one to finally break the silence was Damon.

“I’m just having a hard time imagining anyone managing to get the jump on me.” He said with a small chuckle.

Bex was not amused. “Don’t let your guard down. We have no idea what these people are capable of.”

A shiver went down my spine at her words. She’s right.

“Oh and by the way,” started Damon, “if you see that blue-haired son of a bitch, tell him I know he stole a sword from here, and he had better put it back before I get my hands on him.”

Yikes, I already feel bad for the blue-haired son of a bitch.

Xephyr and I decided to move on to another location after we had checked out the armory. Upon exiting, the first building that greeted us was the church.

It was quite a sight to behold. A grey stone structure with two pointed steeples on either side of the entrance. It was by far the most intricate building we’d seen so far. A white cross adorned the top of the church, and a colorful and circular stained glass window sat above the door, bringing in light.

It turns out the interior was…kind of dull compared to the outside. Two rows of wooden pews leading to an elevated alter. A large, dark wooden cross rested at the front, right behind the preacher’s stand. The most interesting thing about the church was definitely the light that shone through the aforementioned stained glass window. It casted a beautiful, vibrant shadow on the floor. A grand organ lay to the right of the left of the cross, begging for someone to play it. From the entrance, I could tell that we were not alone. An older woman in an elegant wedding gown stood at the front, examining the cross, and a blue-haired man with matching long blue cloak swung a sword around the building as if he were fighting a flurry of invisible monsters.

Ah yes, the blue-haired son of a bitch.

“Hey you!” I yelled at him, remembering my promise to Damon.

The man spun around, pointing the sword in the air.

I continued. “Damon wanted us to tell you to put the sword back where you got it.”

The man let out a hearty laugh. “Ah, you mean my little friend here?” He put his hand lightly on the edge of the spotless silver weapon. “Isn’t she a beaut? Every hero needs a companion, you know.”

Great, it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting the sword back anytime soon.

“By any chance, do you……know how to use it?” I inquired, trying my absolute best to reason with him without trying to blurt out that Damon will decapitate him if he doesn’t return it.

“AHAHAHAHAHA!” Another hearty laugh by the blue-haired son of a bitch. “Of course I do! I am the ultimate hero after all!”

As if to demonstrate his sword yielding prowess, the man swiftly spun around and whipped the sword around his head, and straight into the organ, lodging into it’s exterior.

That’s got to be a one way ticket to hell if there is one.

We all stood there wincing at the act we had just witnessed, until the woman in the bridal gown stomped towards us.

“Seriously Cam? This is a sacred place!” She screamed right in his face, in a way reminiscent of a mother scolding a young child for acting out in public.

The woman continued. “Honestly, if I was planning on getting married here, I’d have the right mind to sue you for emotional distress!” She put her gloved hand on her cheek. “Not that I would ever get married in a dump like this.” The woman then put her hand delicately up to her ruby lips, and laughed in a way that I’d only seen from rich girls in old cartoons.

I decided that now was a good time to bring up her bridal garb. “So…you’re planning on getting married soon?”

I mean, not that she’s probably be able to remember.

The woman giggled. “Not that I’m aware of sweetie. Although if you’re referring to my gown, it’s just because I’m the ultimate bride. My name is Lisette.”

Ultimate….bride? I guess as the ultimate witch, I don’t have the right to judge.

“Can you remember getting married before?” I asked.

Lisette grinned at me. “Of course sweetie! More times than I can even count at this point. And you can bet that every single time I’ve walked down the aisle, it was in a much better venue than this.”

I don’t even want to know the circumstances of how those marriages ended.

Xephyr and I decided to hightail it out of the church and move on. If anything, at least we’ve learned that we still have our memories pertaining to our ultimates.

After exiting the Church’s back door, we were brought straight to a grave yard. Not an especially large one though, seeing as how there only seems to be about 7 rows of about 10 gravestones. Laying at the far end of the graveyard was a small shack-like building, most likely a mausoleum. We aren’t the only ones here either. The boy with green hair and pointed elf ears sat on an ornate metal bench nearby. I’m guessing the ringleader man is here as well, since they left together.

One look at Xephyr, and you could tell he was in his element. He strode into the cemetery, and began examining each gravestone he passed, as if one of them had all the answers to our current dilemma. Xephyr’s expression began changing from curiosity to frustration.

“Amanda Hugginkiss? I.P Freely? Hugh J. Cox? Is this some kind of sick joke?!” He yelled with much more intensity and emotion in his voice than I’d heard from him yet. “What kind of person thinks this is funny?”

As of on cue, the elf-eared boy rose from the bench and made his way towards us. “Actually uh… I kinda thought it was a little funny. Heh.”

Xephyr was not amused. He glared at the boy, shooting invisible daggers out of his eyes. “There is absolutely nothing funny about making a mockery out of the deceased. Think for a second how they feel.”

The boy gulped and took a step back.

“Sorry, I just…” the boy started, “I didn’t mean to…um…get off on the wrong foot.” My name’s Phineas, but you call me Phin! I’m the ultimate Larper!”

“Larper?” I asked, unable to hide my confusion and curiosity.

“Yep! It means live action role player!”

“Oh, so like those guys in medieval costumes that run around and hit eachother with cardboard swords?”

Phin stared down at the ground, looking a bit embarrassed. “Pretty much, but it’s a little more complicated than that. Heh.” He let out a small giggle. “And it’s not always medieval themed, it can be anything! Sci-fi, non-fiction, and there’s even recreations of scenes from movies and television!”

“Well that sounds….fun.” I replied with a smile.

It does not sound fun.

“I’m Misty, the ultimate witch.”

Phin’s eyes lit up like a candle had been ignited inside of them. “Ooh, I’ve larped as a warlock before! It was invigorating! I would love to talk about different spells and-“

Phin’s excitement was cut off by a voice from within the mausoleum. “Hey elfie, come here!”

“Um, I should probably go see what Simon wants”. Phin began making his way towards the mausoleum. Xephyr and I decided to follow him.

The mausoleum was not particularly big, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in sheer creepiness. The outside slightly resembled a courthouse. White stone pillars guarded the door, moss wrapping around them like snakes.

As we entered, the first thing that caught my eye was a stone coffin lying in the middle of the room, the lid slightly ajar. There was no sign of anyone else in the mausoleum besides me, Xephyr, and Phin.

“Very funny Simon. I know you’re in the coffin and you’re just going to pop out at me!” Yelled Phineas at the coffin.

What kind of relationship do these two have?

“You better just come out right now, I’m not going to fall for-“

“PEEK A BOO!”

“AHHHHHH!!!”

Phin zoomed out of the mausoleum as fast as his legs could carry him.

Simon had jumped out from the crawl space behind Simon, effectively frightening him.

“Sorry about that.” Simon turned to Xephyr and I. “He’s a blast to scare. I can’t help myself.”

Xephyr looked at the tiny crawl space that Simon had emerged from. “Were you…hiding in there?”

I could see what Xephyr was talking about. The crawl space looked as though it could barely fit a 6 year-old, much less a grown man.

Simon grinned. “Why? Do you not think I can fit? Does my coat make me look fat?” Simon burst out laughing at his own joke.

I have to admit, his laugh was a bit infectious. It was high pitched and sincere, and it made me want to join in too. Xephyr clearly did not agree, and stood to the side in complete silence with a stone faced expression.

Once the laughter had subsided, Simon spoke again. “Small spaces are no problem for a trained contortionist such as me. I mean, I would have rather hid in that coffin, but I couldn’t get the darn lid open. Clearly I’m no strongman.”

“So you’re the ultimate contortionist?” Asked Xephyr.

“Contortion is just one of the trades under my belt. I’m Simon, the ultimate carnie.”

Man, these ultimates just keep getting stranger.

“What kind of other talents do you have?” I asked, trying to be kind to our new peer.

“You name it. Juggling, magic tricks, animal taming, tightrope walking, and my personal favorite: acrobatics. Of course, since I’m also a trained clown, I enjoy making people laugh as well.”

I have to admit, he certainly looks the part of a carnie. A long black and red coat, a small top hat adorning his head, mismatching colored hair, and more tattoos and piercings than I could count.

“You there goth!” He suddenly yelled, pointing to Xephyr.

“My name is Xeph-“

“Why is there a gate around cemeteries?”

Xephyr sighed. “To keep some people ou-“

“BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST DYING TO GET IN.” Simon once again burst out in a fit of insane laughter.

Xephyr looks like he really wants to punch Simon in the face. I should probably get him out of here.

“Welp, it was nice to meet you, we should go!” I said to Simon, pushing Xephyr out of the door before the situation got worse.

Once we were a good distance away from the mausoleum, Xephyr crossed his arms in a huff. “Can you believe people like that? Making light of the dead?”

“I’m sure he just wanted to make you laugh. Besides, with the names on the tombstones I doubt anyone is actually buried there.” I put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I know for a fact nobody is buried there. I didn’t see a single ghost.”

Oh, right. Xephyr is a spirit medium. For some reason, it had completely slipped my mind.

“Maybe this is a movie set of some kind?” I suggested.

“Why would we be on the set of a movie without any way to get out?”

Shit. He’s right.

We decided to continue our search and headed to the library next.

The library building was nothing special. It looked similar to most of the structures we’d already come across, and the only indication of it being a library were two stone statues of open books on either side of the dark wooden door. The door audibly creaked as I opened it.

The first thing that hit me upon entering was the smell. It was slightly mildewy, but also nostalgic. By no means an unpleasant smell, but not one you would ever want to make a candle out of. The light in this area seemed to be pouring out of the windows that lines the walls. Rows of old books lined up at both sides and extended back into a opening that contained various benches and desks.

The second thing we noticed was the girl in a bright pink apron searching diligently through the back bookshelves, tossing books every which way.

“No no no no no no no NO!” Yelled the girl, as she rifled through the books. “Unbelievable! There’s not a single manga in this entire library! I’m going to die of boredom here.”

“Hello.” I said, walking towards the girl with a friendly smile. What did you say you were looking for?”

“MANGA. MAN-GA. M*A*N*G*A. MANGA.”

This child is condescending to me and I do not like it.

I decided to be as saccharinely sweet as possible to this brat. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I’m familiar.”

The pigtailed brat rolled her eyes. “How could you never have heard of manga? You know, Japanese comic books?”

“Oh, right, I know of them, I just wasn’t familiar with the word.”

“Ugh, I’m surrounded by bakas here!

Is this girl just going to keep using words I don’t know?

“I don’t think the lack of manga is our biggest problem here. No offense.” I stated, returning the condescending tone back to her.

She sneered at me. “Well it’s MY biggest problem here. I can’t just stop reading manga and watching anime! I have to defend my title as Kawaii Princess Mina, the ultimate Otaku!”

Oh-talk-ew?

“Sorry, I’m not familiar with what an otaku is either.”

Mina replied with yet another eye roll. “And Otaku is someone who’s a big fan of anime and manga and Japanese culture! DUH!”

I officially want to smack this girl in the face.

“Anyway, I’m leaving you bakas. I’m going to go find some real entertainment.” With that, Mina sauntered out of the room. Leaving Xephyr and I alone in the room.

Or so I thought.

I curiously made my way to a large pile of books in the corner.

Why are these books piled up like this?

Grabbing one of the books from the top of the pile, I examined the cover. It’s so incredibly faded and dusty, I can’t make out the title or author. Flipping through the pages revealed that it was some sort of medical novel. I had difficulty making out a few terms but it was definitely referring to a disease called Tempest Syndrome. I began to read a passage out loud.

“The disease is only passed hereditarily, and currently there is no known cure. Tempest Syndrome still has yet to be fully researched-“

My sentence was cut off by the pile of books suddenly…moving?

The books shifted and tumbled to the floor slowly to reveal a young-looking curly-haired boy buried beneath them.

Xephyr and I began pulling books off of him. He sat up straight in the chair and shoved the books in his lap to the floor.

The strange boy had a white eyepatch over his right eye, and a surgical mask wrapped around his nose and mouth. Only a corner of his face was visible, a single crystal blue eye stared at me through the tangled mess of dark brown hair.

“Hm? What time is it?” He asked, in a drowsy voice.

“I don’t know the exact time, but it’s evening.” Answered Xephyr in a calm voice. “Are you okay?”

The boy rubbed his visible eye and yawned.

Or, at least I think he did. It’s hard to tell without being able to see his mouth.

“Yeah, I must have fallen asleep while reading. No big deal.”

I sure wish I was able to fall asleep at a time like this.

I extended my hand to help him out of the chair. The boy looked down at my hand as if it was covered in spiders and dirt. Wasting no time, he pulled a rubber glove from his shirt pocket and slipped it onto his right hand. Once the glove had attached itself securely to his hand, he grabbed on to me and allowed me to pull him upright.

“Thank you, um…” he started, realizing he did not know our names.

“Oh, I’m-“ I started.

“Wait.” The boy reaches into the same shirt pocket that he had retrieved the glove from and pulled out a small red notepad and tiny pencil. “Could you write your names down?”

“Uh, sure.” I said with uncertainty. Maybe he has a bad memory and writes down names so he doesn’t forget? I wrote down my name as well as Xephyr’s, and handed the notepad back to the boy.

He stared down at the two names in the notepad for about 7 seconds, and with absolutely no warning, crumpled up the paper and threw it in a nearby trashcan.

What the hell?

“Don’t you need that?” I asked with genuine curiosity.

“No. I won’t forget now.” The boy answered. “Misty and Xephyr.”

I looked over at Xephyr, who was utterly confused. “And you are?” He asked.

“My name is Carter, and my card says Ultimate Doctor. Do you want me to write it down for you?”

“No, that’s okay. We can remember it.” I replied, still a bit confused. I decided to change the subject. “You must be a little scared here.”

“I guess it’s a little scary not being able to remember much. Oh, but I’m not worried about anyone attacking me if that’s what you mean. I know every single weakness and pressure point in the human body. And I know exactly how to rip a person’s ear clean off their head.”

….

“Want me to demonstrate?” Asked Carter, with the excitement and joy of a kid at Disneyland.

“No no no no no no! We believe you!”

Said Xephyr, slowly backing up towards the library door. He grabbed my arm. “We should go now, right Misty? Lots more to explore.”

I bid goodbye to Carter and walked out of the library with Xephyr, still attached to my arm. “You can let go now. We’re away from the scary child.” I said, teasing him.

Xephyr abruptly dropped my arm and smirked at me. I laughed as we made our way towards the final building in town: the restaurant.

Or at least, that’s what I assume it is. Granted, the building itself could be anything, but above the door lies a wooden sign with a crossed knife and fork on it.

Man, suddenly I’m starving!

I had been so busy exploring my new surroundings, I completely forgot about food! There’s got to be something to eat in here.

Upon entering, it looked like someone had the same idea as me. A large rectangular dining table sat in the middle of the room surrounded by seats. And in one of the seats, a pretty woman in steampunk clothing was scarfing down a plate full of food.

Xephyr and I walked over to the dining table and sat in front of the hungry woman. She paused from her meal and glanced up at us.

“Hello?” The woman asked, preparing to take another bite of what appeared to be pasta of some kind.

“Hi, we haven’t met yet. I’m Misty.”

“Skye.” She answered, and immediately returned to chowing down.

“What’s your ultimate?” I asked, in an attempt to keep the conversation going.

“Pilot.” She replied, between mouthfuls of noodles.

A woman of few words.

“So I bet you’ve been to all kinds of exotic locations, right?” Asked Xephyr.

Skye swallowed the noodles she currently held in her mouth. Still holding her empty spoon she replied, “Oh yeah, I’ve been pretty much everywhere. England, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Greece, China, Italy- oh my god, the food in Italy is AMAZING. Definitely my favorite place I’ve ever been to. The cannolis are to die for, like I would totally go back to Italy just for those.”

Is food all this woman talks about?

“Also, you haven’t had real sushi until you’ve been to Japan. There’s this one place that’s super expensive but SO worth it. It’s run by this man who spent his entire life learning about sushi and UH. I’m hungry just thinking about it!” Skye continued.

“But, you have food right there…” said Xephyr, gesturing to her half eaten bowl of noodles.

Skye frowned towards her bowl. “This is barely food. It’s more like cardboard. Blech.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Anyway, I’m. Misty, and this is Xephyr.” I said, changing the subject as to not upset Skye more.

“Is either one of you the ultimate chef?”

“Uh no. Sorry.”

“That’s too bad.” Skye let out a big sigh and carried on eating her bowl of cardboard noodles.

Xephyr and I made our way through the door in the back of the dining hall, and into the kitchen. It looked to have all of the standard modern kitchen supplies, despite this whole place having an old fashioned feel to it. Above the oven, kitchen knives were hung neatly in the wall.

Although they’re just knives used for cooking, they just looked dangerous and threatening to me.

I also noticed another door in the back, most likely leading to food storage or maybe a broom closet. Just as I was thinking of what might be behind that door, we heard an ominous knocking coming from the other side of it. There was also a very faint voice that we could barely make out.

“Hello? Hello??” Came the voice. “This isn’t funny, open the door!”

I raced to the door and pulled it open. Only slightly afraid of what might be on the other side.

I must have pulled it a bit too hard, because a tiny girl on the other side came tumbling out, landing square on her face.

“Are you okay?” I asked the face planted girl.

I extended my hand to help her up, but she quickly put her hands on the floor, pushed up, and jumped to her feet. “All good my dude. Accidentally locked myself in the storage room.”

“Why would you do that?” Asked Xephyr, attempting a joke.

The girl did not find it as funny.

“I didn’t do it on purpose! OBVIOUSLY!”

The girl quickly turned to me and gave me her hand. “I’m Lana Lightning! Speed demon! Wind on wheels! Quicker than a bullet! Ultimate racer!” She must have done at least 5 different poses.

I giggled at her overdramatic introduction. “I don’t think I can beat that.” I smiled. “I’m Misty, ultimate witch.”

Xephyr began to introduce himself as well. “I’m Xephyr, ultimate-“

“Yeah, I didn’t ask about you.” Said Lana, smirking at him. “Anyway, nice to meet you Misty. Sorry about earlier today when I said you’d be no help to us.”

“Hm? Oh, I already forgot about that.”

I did not forget about that. But at least she apologized.

Lana continued. “Well, at least it looks like we won’t starve anytime soon. There’s a ton of food in storage.” She scratched her head and ran her hand down her jet black ponytail. “Though, with Skye’s appetite, it might be sooner than later.”

“I HEARD THAT.” Yelled Skye from the next room.

Lana ignored Skye and kept talking. “So ultimate witch huh? Know any spells?”

Oh boy, here we go again.

“None that I can remember unfortunately.”

“Aw man. I was going to ask you to turn goth boy into a frog.” She joked, smiling slyly at Xephyr.

He moved closer to Lana so that he was standing in front of her, and stared straight down at her, showing off his height in comparison to her’s. “Wouldn’t it be easier to turn you into a mouse? You’re already halfway there.”

Lana stood upon her tiptoes and stared Xephyr straight in the eyes. “Watch it, Edgelord.”

Just as I was about to jump in between them and break it up before it got ugly, we heard the sound of a bell.

*DING DONG DING DONG*

A feminine voice rang out. “Ahem. You attention please.”

What? Who the hell said that? Where is that voice coming from?

“All contestants please report to the center of town. I repeat, all contestants please report to the center of town. Yes, this means you.”

Contestants? Is that…us?

Xephyr and Lana has separated and we’re looking around the room for the source of the voice.

Xephyr spoke first. “Should we go?”

Lana again scratched her head. “I guess so. Just to see what all this is about. Maybe we can even get some answers to what’s going on.”

Sounds like a plan to me.

The three of us made our way out of the dining hall and to the center of town. The “town square” as Dollie had called it. There was something terrifying about following the voice’s orders, but what other choice did we have?

All we could do know was heed the instructions we’d been given, and hope for the absolute best.


	3. Prologue Part 3: The Killing Game Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet the host of this killing game!

With an ever approaching sense of dread, I walked silently next to Lana and Xephyr towards the town square. None of us knew what to say to each other. Should we try to be encouraging that nothing bad will happen to us? Should we be more realistic and think of possible escape routes? Should we have brought weapons from the armory just in case?

I weighed every possibility in my head.

This is probably just someone’s idea of a prank. No, it can’t be. Nobody has the kind of money it takes to build all of this. Maybe it really is the set of a movie? But if that’s the case, why go to all the trouble to put this much painstaking detail into every nook and cranny? Maybe I’m the only one who can’t remember anything and everyone else is in on it. No, I can’t think like that, I’ve got to remain optimistic.

The silent journey ended when we pushed open the moss ridden gate and entered the town square.

Wait….something’s different. That stage definitely wasn’t here before, and neither was that podium. What’s going on here?

Xephyr, Lana, and I were the very last people to arrive. I meticulously counted all other 13 people already loitering around the square, just as confused as we were.

Just then, the feminine voice sounded once more. “I see you three finally decided to join us.”

Where the hell is that coming from? It sounds like it’s echoing from all directions.

“Well then, I see no reason to further delay today’s proceedings. Let’s get the game started!”

Game?

I didn’t even have time to process what that could mean. Faster than light, the mid section of the wooden stage began opening to reveal a trapdoor. The sound of whirling cogs and machinery filled the air and broke through the silence like a knife. Once the trapdoor was fully uncovered, out popped a half purple, half white upright standing cat in an intricate princess gown.

……what? WHAT???

The cat raised both hands- er, paws in the air as if waiting for an applause that would never come.

“Huh. Tough crowd. Welp, I guess it can’t be helped.” Began the cat. “Ladies and gentleman, welcome to your new home! This is the magical kingdom of Stonebrook. Isn’t it wonderful?”

Wait, did she just say…our new home?

“Wait, did you just say…our new home?” Asked Lana, mirroring my thoughts exactly.

“But of course, Lana Banana! This amazing and mysterious place will be your home for the entire duration of the game.”

I finally found my voice. “What game? What are you even talking about? Who the hell are you?” All of my questions came gushing out at once, and I couldn’t hide the fear in my voice.

“No need to be afraid, Witchy! All of your questions will be answered. Now, where was I?” She put her paw up to her chin in an inquisitive manner. “Ah yes, the game. The sixteen of you have been brought to Stonebrook to participate in a funnerific game with wondrous prizes!”

This piqued Simon’s interest. “A game you say? I hate to say it, but you’ve caught my attention.”

“Glad to hear it! But this is no ordinary game. It’s a game of logic, betrayal, mystery, and most of all, murder!”

I felt my heart drop all the way to the pit of my stomach. “Murder?! You can’t be serious!”

“One more interruption and I’ll do the job myself!” Screamed the cat.

Gulp.

“Like I was saying, it’s a game of murder! You see these walls all around you? They’re impenetrable, and designed to keep you all trapped like a bunch a’ monkeys in a barrel. There’s only one way to escape: kill one of your fellow contestants and get away with the crime!”

I couldn’t breathe.

Murder? Killing? But why? What’s the purpose? This isn’t happening. This CAN’T be happening!

“But before you peasants get any ideas, keep in mind there are rules that must be followed. Here, these are for you!” The cat reached behind her and whipped out what looks like a smart phone of some kind. “Each if you will receive one of these here electronic handhelds! They contain everything you need to know. The rules of the game, a map of the kingdom, and the names of each of your peers.”

Bex stepped forward and approached the cat with her usual calm composure. “And may I ask who you are?”

The cat blushed and scratched at her chin like a schoolgirl who’s crush just spoke to her. “Ah gee whiz, I didn’t think anyone cared about lil ol’ me! I am the princess of this fair kingdom and the hostess with the mostess, NekoHime!”

Mina began jumping up and down with glee. “Oooh that means cat princess in Japanese!”

How can she be so giddy at a time like this?

NekoHime clapped her paws together. “Right you are, Blondie! I am a cat princess. Get it?”

Carter sheepishly raised his hand.

“Yes Kiddo? What is it?” Sighed NekoHime.

“Um, if you’re a princess, does that mean there’s a king or queen?”

“I DON’T LIKE YOUR TONE.” Screamed NekoHime, in a sudden burst of anger.

Carter threw his hands up in front of his face as if to protect himself. “Gah! Sorry!”

“Don’t apologize to it!” Yelled Dollie.

“Sorry.”

“CAN WE GET BACK TO ME PLEASE?!” Yelled NekoHime, diverting our attention back to her. “That’s better. Like I said, I’m your princess so you gotta do what I say. And I DEMAND that you gotta play the killing game! Oh, but don’t forget, not only do you have to murder one of your peers, you gotta get away with it too! After a murder has occurred, we hold a class trial!”

“Class trial?” I asked in disbelief, still trying to digest this new information.

“Yep! A class trial where you’ll debate on who done it. If you can guess correctly, I’ll execute the blackened! But if you guess incorrectly, the blackened escapes and you all get executed instead! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

Am I having a nightmare? I must be. That’s the only explanation. I mean, executions? Killing game? This is all stuff you’d see in a video game or movie.

“Alright, I’ve heard enough.” Growled Damon, in his gruff no nonsense voice. “I don’t know who’s trying to pull this shit with the robot or where you are, but it’s over now. He made his way over to the stage where NekoHime stood, no fear visible anywhere on his stoic face. Once his was right in front of NekoHime, he kneeled down, staring the cat right in the face. Or at least, he tried to, being so massive.

“So what’s the secret? I’m no engineer but this is pretty advanced tech.” Damon began poking and prodding NekoHime, trying to figure out the inner workings of the cat robot.

“Hey! Touching your princes without her permission is strictly against the rules! Since you didn’t know, I’ll let you off with a warning. Now BACK OFF, TOOLBOX.”

Damon paused his examination, still glaring at NekoHime. “What’d you just call me?” He gripped the cat by the back of the neck, and lifted her up above his head. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, speaking to me like that through a damn robot. Why don’t you come out here and we can settle this like adults.”

You could feel the rage in his voice. We all stood frozen in place, watching the scene unfold. Nobody dare try and help Damon, or stop him for that matter.

NekoHime flailed and struggled, attempting to break free of Damon’s iron grip. “PRINCESS IN PERIL! PRINCESS IN PERIL!” After a minute of futile flailing, NekoHime paused. You could see the slightest hint of a smug grin on her face.

“Then you leave me no choice peasant! Rise, mighty dragon Archion! Rise from the depths of hell and protect your master!” As NekoHime spoke, the ground shook like an earthquake.

I heard Lana scream, “EVERYONE MOVE!” Time moved in slow motion for me as I raced with the others to the corners of town square. We gathered in a big heap as we watched in horror the ground we just stood on crack and tear apart. I didn’t even realize it, but I had grasped Xephyr’s arm and squeezed it tight like a stress ball. Phin hid behind Brom, using him as a human shield, and Dollie threw her arms around Carter from behind and held him to her chest. Lana stood in front of the group in an action stance, ready to fight and defend should the situation call for it.

As the stone ground parted, a giant mechanical beast arose from below.

 

A dragon.

 

It’s a freaking robot dragon.

It was the size of a school bus and twice at threatening. It’s surface was sleek chrome, with not a single scratch or dent. The eyes of were pure white and shone with the intensity of a white hot sun. The beast let out the most ghastly roar imaginable, mixed with the sounds of it’s mechanical insides whirling. We gazed in both wonder and terror at it’s metal teeth, sharp as stalactites.

“What in the-“ Damon whispered in pure horror, dropping NekoHime to the ground.

“Archion, we have a rule breaker! Punish him!” Yelled NekoHime, pointing at Damon, who was still rooted to the ground.

The mighty dragon let out another ear shattering roar, and turned towards it’s new target.

“Don’t just stand there! RUN!” Yelled Lana, spurring the rest of us to yell and scream at Damon to make his escape. “Run!! Run away!!” We all shouted, hoping for the best. Hoping that we won’t see the very first death in this killing game.

Damon took off running towards us. Archion followed his movement meticulously and opened it’s mechanical mouth as far as it’s jaw would allow.

…Wait, what the hell is that coming out of it’s throat?

As if crawling out of it’s maw, a multi-barreled machine gun arose from the beast’s mouth, positioning itself to take aim at a still fleeing Damon.

“LOOK OUT!!” I yelled to Damon, but he hadn’t heard me. He kept his eyes straight ahead, focusing all of his energy into running. He didn’t even look back at the machine gun as it began firing on him.

The next 5 seconds were a complete blur. I gripped Xephyr’s arm as tightly as I could as the bullet hell began. I could see flashes of red as the gun blared a hailstorm right into Damon’s back. The chaos was so loud and earpiecing, I could barely hear his anguished screams of pain. Within only 5 seconds it was over.

Damon lay sprawled on the ground on his stomach in a crimson puddle, unmoving.

No way…..no way….no way.

I couldn’t bring myself to approach the body. I didn’t want my fears to be confirmed. I didn’t want to accept that I had just watched a man die.

Dollie slowly pushed her way to the front of the crowd like a zombie, and began walking slowly towards Damon’s deathly still form.

“Why…why did you have to go an’ shoot off your mouth? Why did you have to leave us like that?”

Before she could reach him, before she had a chance to confirm our worries, Damon began to stir.

“I ain’t….dead.” His words were pained and agonized. Even then, he pushed himself off the ground with his bloodied hands, and stood on two wobbly legs, his stance uneven.

“Damon! Stand still!” Screamed Dollie as she raced towards him, flinging one of his arms around her shoulder to steady him. “Brom, help me out!”

Brom didn’t need to me told twice. “Yeah, coming!” He also ran to Dollie and Damon, and put Damon’s other arm around his shoulder.

“Hey you!” Yelled Dollie, her gaze directed at Carter. “Ever taken bullets out of a person?”

Carter looked around, in the minuscule hope that she was talking to someone else. Upon realizing he was the only one she could be referring to, he let out an unsure “Uh, possibly?”

“Good enough, let’s go!” Commanded Dollie, as she, Carter, and Brom carried Damon off towards the eastern gate towards the Inn.

NekoHime, who had been standing still as a statue this whole time, shouted at Dollie. “Oh by the way, your rooms are unlocked now. You’re welcome!” She then turned to address the 12 of us who were left in the square. “Anyone else want to get sassy with me?”

We all glanced around at each other, in hopes that nobody else tries to stand against our new “princess”.

Everyone was still and silent. Nobody dare move an inch after the spectacle we just witnessed.

“Good. You’ll find your electronic handhelds in your rooms. I suggest you familiarize yourselves with them.”

NekoHime jumped back up on the stage and saluted towards us. “Happy killing, peasants!” The trapdoor underneath her lowered back down, and NekoHime vanished from sight.

“Well, we have a lot to discuss.” Said Bex, breaking the silence. “But not tonight. I think we should all go to our rooms and get a good night’s sleep. We can reconvene tomorrow morning in the dining hall, 8:00 a.m sharp.”

How could she be so composed after seeing a man almost be shot to death by a giant mechanical dragon?

“You expect us to be able to sleep after that? There’s no way.” Stated Sebastian, the unlikely voice of reason.

Cam’s booming voice sounded behind me. “There is no need to fear! I shall watch over everyone tonight. Such is the duty of the ultimate hero!” He drew his (stolen) sword from behind his back and held it up to the sky.

Lana shook her head and crossed her arms. “Some ultimate hero you are. You were cowering behind Simon the whole entire time.”

“Can confirm.” Agreed Simon.

Cam slowly retracted his weapon. “I…I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Enough chitchat. We should all go to bed early so that we’ll be in top form tomorrow.”

As bossy as Bex is, she’s right.

We decided to retire for the night. The journey back to the Inn only took about 5 minutes, but boy did it feel like hours had gone by. My head raced with thoughts and possibilities.

What if someone attacks me while I’m asleep? What if I never wake up again? What if-

 

Argh, stop it Misty. It’s too soon to give in. The best thing I can do at a time like this is do my best for the sake of everyone else.

 

The best thing I can do is hope.

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out our Instagram, Instagram.com/danganronpa_mms for character pictures, memes, voice acting, and more!


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